Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah confers with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh on Friday. (SPA)
Published: Oct 23, 2010 00:00 Updated: Oct 23, 2010 00:15
RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah received Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at his palace in Riyadh Friday afternoon.
They discussed the latest developments in Palestine, including efforts to bring stalled peace talks back on track and stressed the need for the global community to renew its commitment to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Chief of General Intelligence Prince Muqrin and Deputy Commander of the National Guard for Executive Affairs Prince Miteb bin Abdullah received Abbas on his arrival at the Riyadh Air Base.
Palestine’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Jamal Al-Shubaki told Arab News that during the three-hour summit, King Abdullah offered his full support to the Palestinians and said the issue was central to Saudi foreign policy. "The president explained to the king the situation in Palestinian territories and the present status of peace efforts. The two leaders also stressed the significance of joint Arab efforts in the face of Israel’s stubbornness.”
Al-Shubaki added that discussions also explored other options such as going to the UN Security Council to find a just solution to the Palestinian issue.
Abbas was accompanied by Secretary to the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Yasser Abed Rabbo, chief Palestinian negotiator and member of the PLO Executive Committee Saeb Erekat and media adviser to the president Nabil Abu Rudainah.
The last visit by Abbas to the Kingdom was in August, before direct talks between Palestinians and Israel began.
Direct US-brokered peace negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel began Sept. 2, but the Palestinians suspended talks after a 10-month Israeli moratorium on housing in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank expired Sept. 26.
The Kingdom supports Arab and international efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive Middle East peace, which would ensure the Palestinians’ right to an independent state.
The Saudi Council of Ministers urged the United Nations on Oct. 4 to force Israel to abide by international law and Security Council Resolutions and restore the usurped rights of the Palestinians.
Saudi Arabia has also stressed the need for national unity between the Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah.
Relations between Hamas-controlled Gaza and the Fatah-controlled West Bank were severed after Hamas routed and ousted pro-Abbas forces in deadly fighting in Gaza in 2007.
The latest meeting scheduled to patch up differences between Hamas and Fatah factions in Damascus on Wednesday was postponed.
http://www.arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article167536...
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